It is common for people to want to be considered indispensable in their jobs. After all, the competition is out there, the younger generation is more numerous and demanding. The challenge is to be constantly building your value to your organization because of personal integrity, humility, and creativity.

Look at the more common picture. Managers who feel they are indispensable often behave in ways that are contrary to their organization’s success. Their goals, decisions, actions, and personality styles seem to communicate that no one can manage the roles and responsibilities of their department better then they can. They feel that without them, their organization or department would fail miserably. This is often the height of an out-of-control ego, arrogance, ignorance, and/or any combination of these factors. It can also be caused by poor self-image or insecurity.

This style of management can often be seen in a “my way or the highway’” corporate culture. The negative impact of a manager with this outlook isn’t a pretty picture. To believe you are indispensable is totally naive. If this “lone giant” attitude is a part of your psyche, I recommend you consider the following:

1.How was your department or organization able to function before you arrived?
2.When you take a week off for vacation, does everything fall apart at the seams?
3.Are you cultivating employees to take on additional roles or responsibilities that are part of your job function?
4.Do you tend to delegate only fluff to your employees?


On the other hand, smart managers and leaders who truly make themselves indispensable will constantly build their value by staying on top of their game and enlarging the vision of their own future. To do this, they will:

1.Offer their employees adequate training.
2.Hire strong candidates so the employee will contribute to the good of the department and company.
3.Delegate tasks or assignments to help the employee grow in skills and responsibilities.